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Humanitarian Aid Role

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THE ROLE OF HUMANITARIAN AID IN FUELLING THE CONFLICT IN THE DRC
Introduction
Humanitarian aid, currently more often referred to as Official Development Assistance (ODA), has become a massive global enterprise involving hundreds of aid agencies and non-governmental organizations spread around the world’s war-torn regions. However, since the late 1990’s, there has been an ongoing debate about the role of humanitarian aid in conflicts. While aid agencies have the image of protecting the weak and vulnerable in conflict, there is increasing discussion about their role; conscious or unconscious, in fuelling and prolonging conflicts; making a bad situation worse for those they aim to protect.
Therefore, the system is deeply flawed, international …show more content…

They have taken control over these agencies and have coerced them to co-operate using threats. They use the proceeds to buy weapons to facilitate their cause which ends up driving more people into the camps or to their deaths (Polman, 2011).
Significance of the Research
Generally, this study seeks to explain why and how aid has helped fuel the crisis in the DRC. However, the focal point of this paper is to look at the role played by the humanitarian agencies in the DRC in continuing the conflict in the country; with emphasis on how the lack of coordination makes the aid organizations easy to manipulate by the rebel factions who want to control the aid in order to pursue their interests.
Objectives of the Study
The overall objective of the paper is to examine the role of humanitarian aid in fuelling the conflict in the DRC. However, the three specific objectives of the paper are as follows:
- To analyze how DRC’s mineral resources have led to the continued conflict.
- To examine how humanitarian aid by Western powers (Global North) exacerbates conflicts in the Global South.
- To interrogate how humanitarian aid has prolonged the conflict in the DRC.
Hypotheses
The following are the expected outcomes of the …show more content…

The concept of conflict is very important to many international relations theories; especially the Realists, they give the best explanation on it. To Realists, war/conflict is necessary so long as it serves a nation’s interests; and the key towards achieving these interests is power operating through national interest. Hence there is need for the struggle of power in the anarchical nature of the international system as a whole. The rebels in DRC are perpetuating the conflict with support from other interested players in the minerals including surrounding states; hence the players in the conflict are multifaceted. However, they are united by one key drive: self-interest. They are engaging in conflict in order to benefit from the resources available in the country. The humanitarian organizations have been caught up in this deadly conflict over resources and this situation has impacted negatively on their

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